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CJCJ in the news: More Blacks Still Going to Jail for Marijuana Despite Legalization

In a comparative analysis of the arrest rates before and after Colorado and Washington legalized recreational marijuana, researchers found that while arrests for pot have dropped off significantly in those states, blacks still remain a hard target for violating state marijuana laws.

The statistics uncovered by Mike Males of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice indicate that nothing much has changed since the two states implemented policies to make pot legal – blacks are continue to be arrested more than double their white counterparts.

“I am surprised and disappointed by this,” Males told the Washington Post. “The forces that contribute to racial disparities under prohibition are clearly still in place after legalization.”